God of Our World - The Truth
by Attackoneverything
Summary: Not much is said about the Truth. One. All. World. Universe. God. You... But what we all wonder about the all powerful entity... Who was it before it was God? And what would happen if their godly powers were to be released?... Prey do tell. - M- Language and themes - Post-apocalyptic alternate ending - OCC-ness (I try)
1. Chapter 1

The white plain of everlasting, stretching and shifting as far as one would not hope to reach. The lone God, sat watching the world play its story... Over and over. Alone. For an eternity.

How many times had this event taken place? How many times had this 'father' tried to overtake the power within, to become 'god'? How many times must I watch until I've had enough? How many times must I watch this event occur the exact same over and over again? When will these stories tire me? Taking the forced toll once more, how many more times must I take these tolls? Must I watch the two irregularities fight? Why must I give these humans power to fight? Must he damage my gates and taint the creations of the world and watch the children call in desperation? Must he take a portion of myself from its resting place? Must he block the source I provide? I always am impressed by humans imagination, but really is it a surprise anymore? Must I take the soul of a dreadful being? Must I watch the pitiful Homunculus fail?

It does seem I have lost my patients with this foolish Homunculus.

I shall come to your aid, for the first time in a millennium... or ten, I've lost count...

I shall aid you in this battle for the first time, Mr alchemist, Edward Elric.

Like I should have all of those years ago.

* * *

It happened so quickly. He was just rising from the 'basement' of 'Fathers' lair. He'd not even seen 'Father' for five seconds. Then it just happened.

It was bright white. It was painful. It was over in a blink of an eye.

He was in such shock. Wide eyed on the ground before his brain court up and he began to sit up. His automail wasn't in a nice form and he was hurt. But he could move. That was all that mattered. He could move and fight.

His eyes sliding to his right. There she was bloodied and unconscious.

"MASTER?!" Stumbling over to her, past the pain. "Master?!"

Her eyes fluttering open as she lifted herself onto an elbow "I'm alright... Hohenheim..." Losing her words as her eyes landed on something none of them hoped to see.

His eyes drifting to the figure that stood before 'Father' and untimely Hohenheim and themselves.

The two were quick to their feet, not knowing what to do, to say, to demand... was the word he ended up using.

Before chaos decided to commence, Van collapsed into the quick-footed arms of the two. Their eyes never straying from the figure before them.

Truth.

Horrid memories rushing back, echoing in his head. His experiences withTruth never will leave him.

* * *

A young girl, only a year older than himself. Long golden braided hair, tied tightly back. Golden eyes to create a matching set of three siblings. Smiling and jumping along a river, carrying back all the food they lugged from the market.

"You're so slow! Bet I'll bet you both!" She began to sprint.

"You wish!" Ed and Al wailed back as they commenced running.

The house in close range, all three sprinting they hearts out while carrying their cargo.

"Come on! Slowpokes!" The girl yelled

"You wish!" The middle child yelled in praise as he sped in front of her.

The youngest behind them all as the older two ran ahead of one another as they reached the house.

"I win, Eddie!" The girl proclaims.

"No fair!" The middle one complained

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Come on you two!" The youngest intervening "Mum'll get mad!"

The two folding their arms around the bags of food tighter as the huffed air. The eldest opening the door into the badly lit kitchen, stepping over a dropped tomato.

"Mum!We're home..." The last words barely dripping from her mouth. "MUM!"

* * *

"Eddie! Stay back! It's dangerous!"

"NO! Don't do it alone!"

"It's too late so step back- AHH..."

* * *

"BROTHER!"

"REBOUND!"

"...Alphonse?! Give him back!"

"Mr Alchemist... Your toll."

* * *

"Dwarf in a flask!" The echoed voice erupted "You attempted to acquire God-"

"-Take me-" As the foolish creation of man spoke, Truth raised their hand and once he spoke two words black hands grabbed 'Father' and encased him as the God backhanded him, only leaving above the eyes visible.

"You foolish beast! You ask of me to become something impossible!" Truth letting out a sigh. "You humans amaze me. You reach for things set in stone to be impossible. It is amusing... But! Homunculus! I have let this 'plan' play out too many times! I am finished watching you suffer within my gate! I dismiss your soul, pitiful creation of mankind! Let your soul be no more!" The black hands engulfing the man into nothing but dust in the wind.

The soldiers, sacrifices and every being were left stunned. God had just evaporated their common enemy and the battlefield fell silent. Greed coming from behind, attacking the God from above. Only to be court, twisted around to land on his ass. Arm held up to the Gods' shoulder, its other hand on his chest.

"GREED! NO!" He wailed

Truth just sighed, plunging its finger into Greeds chest. After a long sharp scream, the red stone was pulled out. Ling threw to the ground, who quickly got up, only to catch the stone that was dropped into his hands by Truth.

"GREED?!"

The battlefield sunk into the vail of silence once more. Until Truth create a sound to break the seal.

A laugh. A female laugh. He hadn't taken into account until now the form Truth had taken. It was a female, a female child, no older than 11. It sounded and looked female. Long braided hair. "You humans never see what must be done in this world!"

He was furious with the form Truth had taken. "WHY?! WHY THAT FORM?! WHY KILL GREED?! WHY WOULD YOU STEAL HER LAST IDENTITY?!" He marched up to truth and stood face to face. "WHY?! ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!" His brother calling warning as he continued.

"Why?!" Laughing once more. "Why? I only do what I must! So..." Truth just smiled. All once again, silent. "Why. Not?" Smirking its face at his.

He went to punch Truth square in the cheek. His fist court and twisted behind his back, forcing him to double over. Hearing his brother and another wail for his safety.

He felt small hands on his shoulder and knee ports. Hearing screams of his fellow sacrifices, bar his father. All echoing closer. Though Ed couldn't see them due to his position he could tell they were dragged close by the black hands of the Truth. "You all played God! You toyed with my domain! You all are an example! You will lose everything to gain everything! Am! I! Clear! Humans!" Stopping like it would get an answer. "This really will hurt." Truth stated to the audience of sacrifices.

White pain erupted and the next he knew he was on the ground gasping for air. Free of any hold. His shoulder and knee aching with white pain.

They hurt... His arm and leg hurt! He had an arm and a leg!

"Let these not be an example of how your story would end if you attempt to 'play god'! I have been merciful! Let it be known I am not a merciful being!"

His eyelids shooting up with his head to see Al. Alphonse the human, not armour. He was filled with amazing emotions. Everything was back. His teacher, his superior... but... she was still gone...

He stood up. "WHERE IS SHE?! YOU RETURNED EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING BUT HER! WHERE IS OUR SISTER?! WHY IS SHE ANY DIFFERENT?!" Tears threatening to escape his eyes.

"She played God far too well." Smiling at him with sorrow

"WHY?! Why do you play with us?!"

"It is my job!" The longer Truth stayed with them, the more humanity it gained, anger littering its words.

"Why take the job?!"

"I had no choice!" Outlines of eyelids forming on its face.

"Why?!"

"I CAN'T ANSWER THAT!" As the eyes opened, the white replaced with colour.

"WHY NOT?!"

"Because I can't! I just can't, Eddie!" The hair golden, the eyes matching the set.

"No! NO! NOT YOU!" He ran to the figure before him. Embracing on impact.

"Please..." It whispered. "Please don't, Eddie..." Her face only uncovered, tears coming from her eyes. Falling to her knees.

"Victoria?!" His father screamed from behind him.

"Please... Please... I can't stay..." She sobbed, the echoes melted away.

Feeling tears leak out of his own eyes. "Why?..."

"It's been thousands of years... I have forgotten..."

"You left us... Please stay..."

"No. I'm sorry." She pulled away and stood, helping him up. "I need to go..." Turning her face to the side, he whipped the tears off her face.

"Do you really?"

"Who else would filter through all the souls of every living being? Everyone else who has tried has died. I'm sorry. I took the job from a dying man who was pleading for death... That's why I took the job." Her face resetting to its white setting of origin.

"At least see Alphonse." Putting a small smile on.

"You corrupted me already. I must purify myself quickly and leave. Humanity is a weakness as a God. I have shown too much." Her voice once again full of the echo of a million-billion souls.

"It's been too long."

"Longer for myself."

"Then why not stay?!"

"I TOLD YOU I CANNOT!" Silence eloping the pair. "I-I just can't... I have a job..."

"Then let me take the job. Have a life. I've already done enough."

"No. You really haven't yet. You need peace after all of this horror."

"And what about you?"

"The job has grown accustomed to me. Just let me do my job."

"I'm sorry... Victoria." Their father said from behind her.

She gasped for air as his hand entered his chest.

"STOP!" She wailed "STOP! IT WILL KILL YOU! OR WORSE!"

"STOP!" He attempted, only to be sent flying back from the force of the two fighting.

"STOP!" She pleaded, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Scrapping at her father's hand which stuck out of her chest.

The white draining from her body, eloping Hohenheim.

It all happened so quickly.

Everything was over.

Everything that shouldn't have happened that day happened.

All the worst had occurred.

And there was worse to come.

She was...

He was...

So many were...

They all ran. Ran so quickly. Ran carefully. Ran strategically. Ran for their lives. All at the same time.

They were all going to die.


	2. Chapter 2

This wasn't right. Nothing was. It was all so wrong. My chest shouldn't _rise_.

 _Fall_

 _Rise_

 _Fall_

It wasn't right. I can't do this.

 _Rise_

This shouldn't be happening.

 _Fall_

My chest burns. My whole body aches.

 _Rise_

I can't move.

 _Fall_

But I must.

 _Rise_

It's all my fault.

 _Fall_

I can hear their hearts stop as I hear my own continue.

 _Rise_

 _Thu-thump_

Their screams... This shouldn't be happening.

 _Fall_

 _Thu-thump_

I must move.

 _Rise_

 _Thu-thump_

I can't. But I must

 _Rise_

 _Thu-tump_

 _Twitch_

I have no luxury of not.

 _Fall_

 _Thu-tump-thu-tump_

 _Twitch_

Just a little further

 _Rise_

 _Thu-thump-thu-thump-thu-thump_

 _Twitch_

No more excuses, Victoria!

 _Fall_

 _Thu-thump-thu-thump-thu-thump-thu-thump_

 _Twitch_

The light burned as her eyes shot open. She blinked

Once

Twice

Three times before the world came into perspective and her senses drew in all the information she needed.

One thought entered her mind. The world was over. They were all dead. She was surprised she wasn't already.

She slowly rose into a sitting position, the feeling of thin clothes on her body foreign. The needle sitting in her vain giving the urge to rip it out due to its unnatural presence. The constant beeping next to her irritating her, the clip on her finger giving another urge to tear off.

She just stared valiantly at it all. She was like a child again. She may have watched this all hundreds of times but she wasn't used to feeling it all. She was tempted to tilt her head but refused to be an animal.

It didn't take long for her to rip all of it off, besides the clothes she knew was necessary in human culture. She was on her bare feet on the cold floor in a second, her movement was greatly enhanced like all of her senses due to her God status.

She felt the pull of her Eddie's soul.

She was out the door and down a long industrial hallway. Water and algae dripping from the roof, the fluorescent lights buzzing as she heard the call and felt the pull a soul possesses towards you if you call to it.

The halls were empty as Victoria made her way to a single heavy, metal door, coated with rust and soot. A single light illuminated above the door, the room label torn off and an eery silence filling the air as she held the nob of the door.

Victoria was reluctant to open the door.

She hated being human. Everything has too much detail in it and too many emotions make decisions harder than they should be.

Her hand hovered over the door nob as she finally made her decision and turned it. The door opened with a large, hollow howl as the old hinges over in an unnatural fashion.

Gold and gold made contact. He yelled her name and she stood there as her eyes moved to the white glow in the room, strapped to a table, in pain.

Ed moved to her, she moved away. As he came within reach her hand was out and collided with his chest. Her eyes like daggers into his, she gave a stern tone of voice, "What do you think you are doing?" The calm before the storm.

"V-Victoria? What do you mean?..." Ed spoke from his place on the floor on his ass where he landed. he took a second to look at her younger brother before she acted on his comment. He looked worn, older. Scars littered his face, some white with ages, others pink early in creation. His long hair cut half in length so it hit his shoulders without a tie, a small ponytail replacing his braid he wore for years. His hair dull, matching his eyes. The fire sat behind a fog in his eyes, the determination he once had changed to survival and desperation. How long had it been?...

She simply pointed at the white entity of pale white light, shaped in a simple teardrop shape as its tail wormed around under the metal belt above it. The sound of a tiny, high-pitched scream being emitted by it. Unheard by the others.

"That?..." Ed said sheepishly, "Um... we... um..." His eyes drifting to the other man in the room. Roy Mustang. He was worn as Ed. Hair longer sitting just lower than when she last saw. Scars sitting on his face as well, new scratches littering his face as well as Ed. The two seemed to share the look in their eyes. They were far too similar. How long had it been?...

Roy opened his mouth to talk a single sound coming out before she cut him off. "I didn't ask you. I asked my brother." Her eyes not leaving the boy on the floor at her feet.

"Um... We're figuring out what makes them tick." His sheepish tone dropping mid-sentence. She knew he was shit scared of the ten-year old who just knocked him on his ass.

She sighed, rubbing her eyes with her hand, turning away from Ed and Roy. "I can't believe you don't know... Do you really want to know exactly what they are? I mean they did come out of me." Turning towards them again. Walking to the table they trapped the entity to. Her hand moved just over it. Ed, now standing, moving in caution to the gun he had holstered to his belt as Roy did. They were scared of it. Of her. "It's a human soul." She put her hand into the souls light. The light slowly slithered into her hand and away into her body.

The two pulling their guns out when the thunk of the free metal hit the table, aiming it at her. She sighed once more. Placing her hand on the guns barrel of the two's guns, "I'm still me."

"Where did it go?!" Roy said in fright.

Victoria waved her hand she put into the light, "Absorbed her."

"So you mean..." Roy dumbfounded at her act. Their guns falling back into their holsters.

"You're awake..." Ed whispered as his arms found their way around her and her face was deep in his chest. She stood rigid as she was not sure how to react. She had been a spectator of life for thousands maybe even millions of years since the original alchemic reaction and the last then the first one again.

A thought pulled out of the thought of her to react or reply to her brother's act of affection. "Alphonse? Where's Al?" She felt her brother stiffen, he soon then recoiled his hug. "Eddie? Where's Al? What happened?"

Roy placed a hand on his shoulder and stood in front of him. "Best show you. Fullmetal, do you want to come?" Turing to the boy behind him.

He gave a reluctant nod. Waiting for the others to walk before her as they lead her towards where she came. Recognising the door she came from, she stepping into the next room with the two. The whole walk she searched for his soul finding a faint signal, wondering if he wasn't close and that was a soul item, a very attached item to the souls.

She laid eyes on the fourth body in the room. Her stomach dropped, tears entered her eyes. She hated emotions. Deviation entered her mind. HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN?!

Her voice a whispers and full of sobs, "How... how... WHY?" She wailed, "How could this...?!" Losing her voice at the final word.

Ed stood like a statue next to her, his face blank, he had a face as if he had seen it so many times before, he was desensitised to it.

"We had no choice," Ed spoke. "What other choices would we of had? If we didn't try... How would we have known it would have caused so much damage?..."

"You could have waited! I would have woken up! I have, haven't I!" She wailed back to him.

Ed turned to her, his feet only a few centimetres distance apart from her own, "I waited! We all waited! We waited for years! Three years! We gave up on you two years ago! How would we have known... known... that..." Ed losing his bite and trailing off, his eyes landing on the fourth person in the room.

"Five... years..."

"We waited for you... You took too long... In the end... We thought you were brain dead."

"But... what did you do?! What did you do to cause so much... so much devastation?" taking a seat next to the bed, Ed joining next to her.

"We did a full frontal assault, on the capital. That's what we call Central HQ now... We didn't think that..."

"No, you didn't think... Humans never do..."

"You talk like you aren't human. Aren't you? At least you were..." Roy spoke from his position leaning on the wall on the far side of the room.

"I... I really don't know... To tell you the truth. The only thing that set me apart before was the souls... and the emotionless state... Power makes one God I guess..." None of the speaking in the silence of sorrow.

"Five years..."

* * *

Two Years Ago

* * *

"All we need to do is go from the east and come from behind." Ed said with confidence

"We can't just jump in. You do understand that, Fullmetal. You need strategy. I don't know how you survived those years in the military with your strategic mind." Roy said sarcastically. "We need an arrangement of snipers on this fence line and another here. They would provide cover for the troops we'll send from the east towards it."

"What about an air strike?" Ed started out of no where.

"They fly, Fullmetal. We can't do that. Why are you even in here? This is a war room... You shouldn't even be fighting."

"Screw you, Bastard. I'm 19, I'm not a kid anymore." Ed bit back

Roy just sighed in exhaustion and continued the tactical attack.

* * *

"What do you mean 'I'm not going'?!" Ed wailed.

"I can't have you or your brother in danger like this. You're to stay back." Roy insisted

"You can't stop us!" Alphonse surprising Roy with his insistent input. "I have sat around for the past three years. It's my time to help! We aren't kids anymore Mustang. Ed's right. We can handle ourselves. Now, let us save our father and sister. Please."

"You better not make me regret this..." He rubbed his eyes with his hand. "You better not die... We've had enough as it is... Alright? Promise me that, you both better not die."

"As long as you don't, old man," Ed said extending his hand to Roy.

Roy rolled his eyes and took his hand then Al's.

* * *

"ALPHONSE! ROY! HELP HIM!" Tears running down Ed's face as they sat on the floor of HQ surrounded. "PLEASE! SOMEONE! HELP HIM!"


	3. Chapter 3

Souls have one desire. To inhabit a vessel. They are powerful beings as pure souls, but they have a desire to feel and choice vessels over light forms.

The deadly nature behind a souls desire is they will do anything. Anything. To get into a vessel. They don't think about their actions and dive right into an inhabited vessel. This never ends well. The two souls fight for power. But every time the vessel dies and the neither soul is left with a vessel. Adding to the swarm of souls towering above the Capital. Humans call it Duplicate or Duplication.

Calling the souls themselves Reapers. Not knowing of their true identity of disembodied human souls.

Souls can inhabit objects, though this is only temporary without a seal of blood. While inhabiting objects they can pass through newly invented shields which stops their light form from crossing. This has created a need for a secondary solid shielding system in any Human Protection Rebellion Facility (HPRF). Humans call this Inhabiting.

But not all humans were initially against the movements and actions of the souls. Many were very opposed to the rebellion that was being created. Humans were forced into HPRF's early on. But the Reaper Remedy (RR) they wanted to in brace the soul's rain and surrender to the souls needs for vessels. It was horrifying. They opened the door and shut down shields. It was a slaughter. Any remaining RR's killed themselves off by running out of HPRF's during shift changes and got themselves and personnel killed by Duplication. If there were any RR's left kept their mouths shut and played it smarter and joined the Resistance forces or Personnel and went out into battle and didn't fight.

They had one weapon on the souls, guns. They designed bullets which could immobilise them. You can't kill a soul but you can permanently immobilise them. Their power still is within them but they are unable to move. Touching them is still not an option even when shot.

Souls had many abilities, they had a type of energy beam which can immobilise a vessel. But it almost always ends with the vessel dying. If the vessel does survive... Let's just say you don't want to survive a hit from 'the beam'. Your life wouldn't be worth living. What life you have left. Humans called it Impalement.

Five years this war went on. Judgement day. The end of the world. Armageddon. The Apocalypse. The last days...

Whatever humans want to call it. Those days have come and gone and what is left of humanity is surviving. But what will emerge once one side falls?

Despair.

* * *

She moved towards the fourth person in the room.

A white bed, neat, folded sheets atop the body under. Not a crease or an impurity. What laid under was the opposite.

Skin a blue tint, reflecting onto the sheets leaving a blue almost smudge where the light hit right. Blood veins tinted with dark blue fluid, flowing over their coloured skin. Their eyes open and distant, blue with desire and desperation. Their lips mumbling and humming ungodly rasps of inhuman languages. An IV plugged into their blue veins, pumping essentially life essence into them, keeping them mumbling and blue instead of silent and white.

She took a seat next to them, placing her hand on theirs and looking back at Ed. "Do you want to know what he's saying?"

"You know?" Ed said in happy anticipation.

She nodded and looked back at the boy in the bed sadly. "He's saying... 'I'm sorry, Brother. Forgive me. Please.' Over and over..." She made eyes contact with Ed once again, his happiness gone, "You made Alphonse think he did something wrong." She said with a deadly tone.

Ed just looked ashamed at his feet. "He jumped in front of a beam... He got impaled instead of me..." He blamed himself she was sure. He saved him and he blamed himself for his actions. Ed would have gone over those few seconds over and over to find a way to take Al's place, he would have found many... But all too late and he felt all the grief of it. And what was she doing to help? Nothing.

Victoria saw Roy made move to speak, beating him she spoke, "I can try to fix him."

Bright golden eyes lifted from the floor, filled with hope. Something she missed in his misted eyes of despair.

"But I need more souls. One will be gone in a second."

Ed's eyes faded, "Souls? You don't mean..."

"If you mean something like the philosopher's stone, no. Not that. Disembodied souls." She said flatly as she looked sympathetically at her younger brother.

The room sat silent.

"The soul you 'ate'," Roy spoke with anger in his tone, "took over ten men's lives. The operation was a disaster and you 'ate' it. How do you expect us to get more?"

"I know I would be overwhelmed and most likely die or let them overtake my vessel if I just stood outside. I would need you to let them in, in small waves."

"What! No!" Roy putting his hand on Victoria's shoulder. "Are you crazy?!"

"No. I won't let anyone die!" She said flatly. She always seemed to become less human, emotive, when she felt what she thought was too much of a load. Alphonse was definitely a load.

Roy sucked in air to speak but nothing came out but a slow exhale of air.

"I know what I'm doing. I've done it a million times."

"Could we do it in..." Roy glanced down at his watch, "in twenty minutes?" His eyes showing trust and she was sure she saw hope drift into her view.

She just nodded in response.

"Let's get you into something else, Victoria." Ed spoke up, "We can't have you in that..." Ed trailing off as he took her hand and took her out of the room.

"I'll inform the rest. Be at gate 4 in ten minutes, Fullmetal. Not a minute later." Roy called from behind them.

"Yeah-yeah!" Ed waving Roy off as he continued to drag her with the other hand. "Winry should have something for you... maybe..." Glancing back at her, "You're a little smaller than her but... It's worth a try."

Knowing who they were going to Victoria called out to her soul. Finding her, walking ahead of Ed, getting from him a complaining, "You don't even know where you're going," Increasing her speed they ended outside her door with Ed in a daze from the speed. "What the hell was that?!"

"You were too slow." she stated as she knocked.

Winry opened the door, waved and smiled happily. Not saying a word as her eyes drifted down to Victoria. Her eyes watering up and she hugged her tightly in silence.

Victoria awkwardly patting her back, "Nice to see you." she said weakly.

Ed cut in, "Winry, she needs some clothes. Do you have anything she might fit?" Winry nodding in response and going back into her room.

Victoria went to follow but Ed grabbed her hand, bobbing next to her, "She lost her voice... Don't bring it up, alright?"

She nodded, "Alright."

Winry proudly held out a shirt and pants in her hands. "Thank, Win." Ed took the clothes. "We're on a deadline, but we'll come back later." She saw how Ed chose his words, not 'we'll talk later', but rather, 'we'll come back later'. "Bye, Win."

"Bye, Winry." Victoria tried in a sheepish tone. She wasn't comfortable with casually talking. Not yet.

After the door was closed she asked Ed, "Why didn't you tell her?"

"She doesn't need false hope. I'm sorry. We've all had enough sorrow to last more than a lifetime... She doesn't need to lose anything else." Ed's eyes looking forward as he spoke.

"I can heal her voice too you know. I can heal every wound caused by the souls... If I get enough power." She paused, "But not the dead... I don't have a choice in that matter."

Ed stopped, "Then who tell you that you can't?" He asked in almost desperation.

"Morality and equality. If no one died, then everyone would live forever and that isn't how this universe works. People must die, people must cry, people must fight, people must do everything we loathe because it's how this cruel universe works. Balance is something not even gods can disturb Eddie... I don't make all of the rules." She continued walking, in silence.

They approached the original room she woke in, following the industrial halls. "We'll get you another room later. But get changed quickly. I'll be right outside the door if you need me." Ed pulled the door closed after he put the clothes on the bed.

She dressed with slight struggled. It had been a while.

The shirt was more than a bit big, but found a hair tie and bunched it up and tied it off. The pants had a string to tighten and the strings ending long and tried a few times over.

She came out with a confused look on her face, looking at her brother for approval.

He nodded and smiled at her, she smiled back. She missed this. Smiling. Something so simple brought so much joy and hope and... Humans were so wonderful.

They travelled the halls and came out in a large hanger style gateway, wide open space with a large double door. Around the door sat metal boxes which served as shields once the doors would open. Men and women, all covered in scars with fogged eyes folding their guns in a casual manner as they chatted among themselves ready for the time period Roy spoke of.

Just as she spotted Roy, talking to a man, she heard a, "WHAT DID YOU JUST ASK?!" echo off the walls.

She heard Roy hush the man and usher them over.

"She can do it. No one will get hurt." Roy insured.

"But she's a kid!" The man wailed in panic.

"I can assure you I am not a child." She said sternly as they approached.

The man stood there, looking at her and Roy, his face covered in concern.

"Trust her."

"Do you know the last time you said to trust someone." He said sternly back.

Roy's eyes lighting in anger, grabbing the man's collar, "Don't you dare." He said in a low growl, "Now listen here. You will follow my orders and open those doors on my and this women's orders. Are we clear?"

The man nodded roughly and quickly.

"Good." Roy dropping his collar, glancing up at the large clock above the door. Stepping next to Ed onto a box, "We have five minutes! But I need to explain a change in today's routine so listen up!" Roy yelled to the twenty-odd people in the bay. "We are leaving the doors open to let Reapers in!" Many shocked oars and 'Are you crazy's' echoed around the room.

"Silence!" Ed called. The room quieting

"We are not doing a suicide operation! This girl," pointing at Victoria, "is special! She is the god from Day 1!" Whispers travelled the room, "She will keep you safe! Personal squad 3 will enter and we will cover them! Only if you see a Reaper as a threat will you shoot! Am I clear?! She needs as many intact as she can!" Roy watched the clock, "One minute! Get in your places!" Roy jumped down. "Victoria, you're going to yell at me when you want something done. Are we clear?"

"Yes."

"Now stand where you need to stand." She went to move, "And Victoria. Don't let any of these people die. They have families to take care of." He said worrying.

"Of course." She said bluntly

"Incoming! Squad 3 on target!" Yelled a man, "Stand ready! Operation 798 commence!" A great thunk and continuous banging signalled the opening doors.

She stood in the centre of the room at the centre of the gates, hands on her hips, her hair flowing with the breeze the opening doors let in. She could hear the cocking of guns and she stood steady.

Ten men come running in, right past her ignoring her presence in the room. One staying at the door, looking out and hurrying their men. The last man came in and the man yelled, "Incoming Reapers! Close the gate!" The man quickly running behind the last man.

When the door stayed open the man wailed, "Close the door! What are you doing?!"

"New operation! Stick to your positions!" Roy called from his spot.

"There are hundreds out there! What could take that many down?!"

"Her!" Roy pointed at her and she continued to focus on the flow of soul energy she could feel. They were coming. Closer, closer...

They burst through the door. Wails of souls echoing off the walls. She licked her lips in anticipation.

She needed Roy to signal the door to close... not yet... wait... wait... just a few more... "NOW, ROY!"

The clunking started and the doors forced the souls into the gate, swirling at the roof. Not a single bullet was fired. Not a single soul moved from the roof.

The screams lowered and it was still.

Victoria's hand glowed a bright white, her eyes matching the coloration. "You're mine." All of the souls come rushing towards her hand, power flowing to her core.

The last soul entered her skin and her knees buckled. She was panting on her knees and smiling widely. Her power was back, not fully but it was a start. Her smirk fell from her face when her hearing come back from the buzzing of screams which echoed in her core.

"Victoria?" Ed was close, next to her, his hand on her shoulder, "Victoria, are you alright?"

Her head came up, "Yeah... I-I'm fine." Her head turned to the men and women around her. They looked at her like she had two heads... Or that she was a miracle... She wouldn't be surprised if it was both. She did just glow bright white and absorb something that they can't kill. "Let me see, Alphonse."

Ed nodded and happily helped her to her destination.

* * *

Two Years Ago

* * *

Everything that day happened so fast.

So many died.

So many cried.

So many were lost.

Impaled...

Duplicated...

Some lived... Most didn't...

Those who could walk, ran, ran fast, ran hard.

Those who couldn't crawled.

Blood coated their skin and clouds collected in their eyes.

Scars were forever a reminder.

The battle was chess and pieces fell... They all fell to protect the king...

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair!

The battle for the Capital was a failure... a disaster...

So many died.

So many cried.

So many were lost...

* * *

"Winry... Alphonse..." Ed spoke weakly. "Winry... Alphonse..." Ed just said their name over and over.

"How long has he been like that?" a man asked

"All week..." Roy weakly replied

"How are you holding up?"

"Better than he is... " Roy trailing off as he joined the boy at the two children's bedsides.


	4. Chapter 4

Souls have always existed. Since the first soul exited its dead vessel and floated into an empty abyss. A huge deposit of power and someone has always been needed to store and control this power. A god. Truth.

A vessel which can hold millions, billions of souls at once.

These vessels chosen when humans reach further than they should, reaching for more than they can grab, those who don't die and survive the impossible. Gate Keepers. These humans have seen inside their gate and have the free will to access the information at their choosing. But in return, when called upon they must become Truth.

Once you become Truth you cannot become humans again. You can be something close... But you will never be the same. Distant would be the best way to describe them. Distant and insensitive.

* * *

Ed led her to the room Al laid in. The sound of defining endless _beep, beep, beep, beep_. The clicks and ticks of machines. The endless white. His skin, white cloth strung with blue string.

She immediately moved to a seat that sat beside the boy's bed. The seat groaning in protest under her weight.

"Are you sure about this?" She heard Ed's uncertain voice behind her, as he peered over her shoulder, "Will it hurt him?"

"I'm very certain Alphonse will be fine." She ripped off the sheet that sat on top of her sick little brother, undoing the shirt he wore revealing more white cloth, blue string under his gown.

"You didn't answer my question?" Ed said sternly

"He'll be fine." She repeated silence filled the room, Al's mutters echoing in their ears.

She held her hand above Alphonse, it slowly began to glow with white power. She slowly lowered it so her palm would brush upon his pale skin of his chest. "I'm sorry." She muttered, unsure if she was talking to the souls, her brother or her sick brother, she may have been talking to them all or none of them.

Her hand slowly reaching towards his head, her eyes catching the white light. Ed looking away as the lights intensity increased. Her palm slammed his forehead, quickly retracting, the light faded, his face still pale and blue. His eyes now shut and muttering silenced. The room was left with the breathing of the three inhabitants and the endless, _beep, beep, beep, beep_. Her hand grabbed Al's, she squeezed it toughly and whispered, "Come home, Alphonse." and the colour rushed into Al's skin like water into a sponge.

Al gasped for breath as he shot up in the bed he laid in. _BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP_. Frantically looking around for answers his golden eyes landing on pure white he froze.

She blinked her eyes to remove her white contacts her eyes wore. Reassuring her brother.

"It's alright, Alphonse. It's me, Victoria." Her hands up defensively, slowly moving towards him.

"Victoria?" Al echoed back with his horse voice, "You're... You're awake?" She nodded, "When? How?..."

He trailed off when he began to hear how painful his voice sounded. "You should rest your voice." She advised, "It's best. Eddie will explain everything... I need to lie down..." She trailed off when she began to stand, waving on her feet.

"Let me help. I'll be right back, Al. Stay put. Relax." Ed grabbing her elbow and arm and guided her to a bed, his hold strong on her now weak body.

He helped her slide into the old mattress, the springs creaking in agony as she spread her body onto the bed, "Sleep." He began to walk out, he muttered his goodnight before he continued, "Thank you. For fixing my mistake."

* * *

Two Years Ago

* * *

Ed kept moving, Winry and Al close behind him. They had lost Roy's team when a swarm had rushed towards them, they had no choice but to run.

Ed looked back and he knew he couldn't let Winry and Al be in danger. Al was on his left, Winry his right.

A gun in his hand, Al's hand and Winry helpless.

She had snuck into the back of one of their trucks, once they had arrived there was nothing they could do but let her go with them. Being alone was no option.

Ed turned around and ran backward, he began to shoot at the swarm of Reapers. The bullets harmlessly passed through them, he swore under his breath.

Still running backward, Ed made a decision. He decided to sacrifice himself, he'd done it before and he would do it again.

Ed saw a beam being fired, it was shot towards his now left. He took a sharp breath and pushed Winry aside. His eyes locked on her as he saw the beam clip her throat.

"Winry!" He saw her body fall and crumple into the dirt behind him. He saved her from death, but how would she live now? In agony? In pain? In fear?

The swarm inclosed the gap between them, the white souls screaming and wailing at them as they surrounded them. He felt panic rise within him. Panic not for himself but for his brother.

Al's name rolling off his lips when he saw a beam being fired and a weightless feeling of being pushing.

Everything around him froze. He saw everything. Steam rose from smoking holes, men and women dead in a heap on the ground, souls circling above their heads as they planned their target. The glowing man in the centre arms high in the air, a centre piece for the Reapers to centre upon. Winry was a heap, mimicking the rest of the dead. He could see the top of Roy's head and that's all he could hope for. That Roy would come and save Alphonse. Because Ed couldn't, not anymore. All he could do was watch the white beam strike his brothers chest.

Ed hit the ground heavily, dazed for a moment he picked himself up and raced towards his brother.

Ed catching Al before he hit the ground, his arms meeting cold, white, blue flesh. His words catching in his throat, the wails and cries of Reapers long drowned out. The muttering from Al deafening, one last word sane word coming from Al, "I'm sorry..." His eyes became distant and Ed snapped into focus.

"ALPHONSE! ROY! HELP HIM!" Tears racing down his white face, "PLEASE! SOMEONE! HELP HIM!" Because Ed was the useless one today.

* * *

The front lawn of Central Command was a war zone. Bullets sunk deep into the layers of soil, smoking holes and burning holes, screaming ripping the air.

Roy and his team sat low behind a steaming hill created by Impalement beams. Heads low and useless guns huddled to their chests.

"What do we do now?!" Jean wailed uselessly above another scream that lead to death, "We've lost track of Ed, Al and Winry! These guns are useless!" Pain filling the mans voice.

"We calm down!" Roy demanded back, "We'll find them! But not with you panicking! More ammunition will be here soon! Then we can shoot the damn bastards!"

Souls swooped around them, each of them shooting when a white light came too close for their liking, the bullets just uselessly gliding through their bodies. The guns that were prepared were not the new prototypes which could damage the Reapers, they were normal guns, they were useless. They were helpless. This was the worst mistake that Roy could have ever made. He was the one who checked the guns before they left... They just looked so similar...

A cry erupting from the middle of the field, "ALPHONSE! ROY! HELP HIM! PLEASE! SOMEONE! HELP HIM!"

Roy lifted his head above the protection of the mound. A swarm of Reapers surrounded the two boys, hearing more cries from others around them.

Once souls had a target they all locked on and attacked the one person and didn't stop until they were dead.

"Ed! Al!" Roy heard Riza wail from beside him, she moved, she scrambled up the hill. Before Roy could give words of warning his whole team was up the hill and firing at the Souls.

"Wait!" The words came out too late.

The Reapers turned in an instant, moving as a whole like a head turning to a noise. White beams of light Impaled each of them. One by one.

The white light came from four souls. Each moving in time with their footsteps. Moving towards each other in time, step for a step, inch by inch.

Roy watched as each of his men withered and died. The beam struck their chest, in turn struck his, they ripped into them and their skin turned into glass and their veins seemed to empty.

Their heads turning to those who fell beside them, who then fell themselves until they all laid unmoving.

One was left frozen in place. A soul pierced her chest. She was unmoving, unspoken. Her skin shifting towards a black colour, she began to shake. Her knees collapsed and her head thrown back.

Two souls exited her body and she was left black as coal on the battle field.

Roy wailed each of their names before more gunfire sounded around them. "RIZA!"

The Personnel had arrived, a literal moment too late.

He felt someone pull him back and guide him away from his team. He kept hearing, "Keep your head down!" and, "Retreat!" over and over.

He dug is feet into the ground and he stopped, he felt someone pushing him, "Keep moving, come on, move."

"I need to get them!" He pushed against their hold.

"We'll get them! Just keep moving!"

"I need to get them!"

* * *

Present

* * *

Ed returned to Victoria's room before he went to his own to check on her. He watched her roll around in her bed. She wasn't used to sleep and she was finding trouble to finding a deep sleep. She mumbled and groaned as she tossed around in the large sheets.

He moved over to her side, the bed groaning under his weight. Victoria rolling towards him, mumbling an unintelligent phrase.

His hand reached for her head and he ran it slowly down her hair, shushing her. "You're alright. Shh-shh. I know it's normally you doing this, but I remember what you used to tell us when we were scared. You told us that 'Angels would watch us and look over us. Angels help the lord in his mission to protect us all.' I never believed in that... But it always made me feel better, especially once mum died... I'd song to you... But you know I'm tone deaf." He chuckled quietly.

He looked down at Victoria, a smile covering her now peacefully sleeping face.

"Goodnight, Victoria."

* * *

She groaned as she heard Ed's voice happily ring from the door, "Up you get!" Victoria just hugging her pillow tighter, "You missed sleep as much as Al..." She heard Ed mumble as he ripped off the blankets.

She shivered at the change of temperature. Her blissful daze of pillows and warmth taken, she had no reason to lie still anymore.

She rubbed her eyes and her muscles twitched and ached from the over use. Her eyes blinking away the bright light above her, her eyes adjusting slowly to the small infirmary room she called her bedroom.

"You should get something to eat." She heard Ed suggest.

"I don't eat." She blandly stated back.

"But humans do. So come on. We'll head over now."

"I don't eat." She repeated

"Come on." He repeated

These two Elric's were as stubborn as each other, it would take hours for them to agree on their own or a third party would have to step in and make the decide for them. This time a third party entered in the form of Roy Mustang.

"What's taking so long, Fullmetal?" impatience filling his words.

"I don't eat" She stated to Roy.

"Then don't eat. Let's go, Fullmetal." Roy turning to leave.

"What? No! You're coming, Victoria. You made this harder, Mustang!" Ed throwing his arms at Roy.

Victoria just crossed her arms.

"If she doesn't want to eat, she can go without food," Roy said simply.

Ed sighed, "Just come and sit with us. I can't have you wandering around the place. It's dangerous."

"You mean you don't want me finding things I wouldn't agree with?"

Victoria didn't get an answer just a pull on her crossed arms, lifting her off the bed and towards the door.

* * *

Ed lead her to a large canteen area. Long, metal benches stretched around the whole room. The metal reflecting the lights from the roof, she put her hand up to block the light as she marched on behind Ed.

Ed pointed at an empty bench space and told her to sit, stay and not make trouble. She did as she was told, looking around in boredom.

She saw people taking glances at her, mumbles of rumors which she could hear, all of them.

"That's that girl."

"She has to be dangerous."

"She's a ticking time bomb."

"She's gonna kill us all."

She clenched her fists, not noticing Ed and Roy sit to her right.

"You alright?" Ed scaring her, she jumped slightly.

"What? Yeah... I-I'm fine..." She spoke unconfidently back, Ed not convinced.

"What's wrong, Victoria?"

"Nothing you can do about."

"Try me. I have a lot more influence that you think." He spoke with a smile liking his cheeks.

"Forget about it."

Ed put a spoonful of his food into his mouth and swallowed before he signed, "You know I can't do that, Victoria."

"Please just drop it, Eddie."

"No."

Victoria signed herself, "It's nothing... They're... they're scared of me..." She mumbled quietly.

"Because of yesterday?"

She nodded in response, still feeling glances burn through her body.

"We'll prove them wrong." Was all Ed said as he stuck more food into his mouth.

* * *

"Morning, Win." Ed said happily as he lent on the door frame of Winry's room.

She waved happily in response, ruffing Victoria's hair. Earning an unhappy glare from her.

The look Winry had was as if she was laughing but unable to produce the sound. She could see it pained Ed to watch her. She knew guilt laid its self upon Ed's shoulders. He never made a move to take it off, not even now when hope came in the form of Victoria.

"Your voice," Victoria said alone.

Winry's smile fell, as well as Ed's fake one.

"Victoria!" Ed wailed, "Don't say it like that!"

"Like what?"

"Sounding like you don't care!"

Winry moved from grief to confusion.

"I can fix it. Your voice." Victoria looked up at Ed for his opinion.

Ed looked defeated, almost. She wasn't interacting and reading emotions correctly and Ed was trying to teach her, but it wasn't working at all well.

Winry eyes light up. Before Winry could move Victoria grabbed her hand and moved into her room.

"Sit here." She dragged a chair next to the one Winry was instructed to sit on.

Ed took a seat on the bed, sitting on the edge in anticipation.

Her hand moved onto her throat, moving from her chin to her collarbone.

"How did you survive?" No response came from her question.

Her hand lit up in soul fire, her eyes coated with the same fire.

She heard Winry take a sharp breath, her breath picking up. She was scarring Winry.

Her own breath picking up. She was losing focus.

Then she felt a hand come into her free one, Ed's words echoing behind the souls power, "Calm down, both of you. You can do this. Relax, just breath. You're both the strongest women I know. Now focus."

She took a deep breath and finished her work.

She slouched into her chair, closing her eyes. Maybe food would have been a good idea, the extra energy would have done her some good. She was exhausted. Her head looped to the side and she felt someone lightly grab her and mutter, "Knew she needed to eat."

A hand touched her cheek and six last words was heard before she fell into an exhausted rest, "Thank you." It was horsed and quiet, but it was full of gratitude, "Thank you so much."


	5. Chapter 5

Souls. The greatest power source in existence.

But humans have no access or knowledge to acquire them. So one being, with masses of knowledge became the Gate Keepers or 'keeper of the souls', an all powerful God. They go by hundreds, thousands of names. But put simply, a God.

This God is no eternally living, after many millennia, a God must find another being to take its place. To transfer the knowledge and souls to.

They have all of their lifetimes to find their next keeper.

Finding the keeper is the easy part.

Tempting the keeper is the difficult part.

Tempting them to enter their domaine. No one can come into the Gods domain without request.

The request being the activation of a human transmutation circle, as the humans call it.

Once entered the domain, they are then forced, if they don't comply.

The new Keeper of Souls in inducted and the other dies.

Their duties are inherited, the ability to reap souls, the ability to locate souls and the ability to manipulate souls.

What happens in the souls happens to the body. The soul is the essence in which the body draws from.

Cycles continue, everything repeats, until everything dies.

* * *

"Victoria... Time to get up..." She heard gently as her shoulder was lightly rocked. "Victoria... Come on... You need to get up..."

She groaned and rolled over to try to ignore the person trying to wake her.

"She isn't getting up." A woman, her brain manufacturing a gender to the voice.

"Let me." That was a man

"You're too rough." The women pouted

"Well soft isn't doing anything is it." The man snapped back.

She heard a heavy sigh as her mind began to drift back asleep, peaceful, quiet sleep...

A black abyss that filled with images, memories, both false and long forgotten. Of times before she left, before their mother died. Happier times.

Times he spent with her brothers, _"come on, Eddie!"_

 _"I love you, Allie, Eddie. Do you love me?"_

 _"Catch me if you can, boys."_

 _"Little men!"_

 _"Come play, Eddie, Allie!"_

 _"Shh, mom will hear us in dads study."_

Children's laughter echoing peacefully behind closed eyelids.

"Up you get!" Victoria would have fallen out of bed in her panic and shock if her beloved brother hadn't caught her.

"What was that for?!" She wailed towards Ed.

"You weren't getting up." He said simply as he guided her body back onto the bed.

She closed her eyes, her head landing on his shoulder.

"You've slept for two days, you can't still be tired can you?" Ed questioned.

She just nodded into his shoulder.

"Well, you need to eat. And that means you have to get up."

Victoria groaned and pushed her face further into her brother's shoulder.

"Don't be like that. Up we get." Ed pulled her up by her shoulders, her legs swaying for a moment before taking her weight, "Let's go." Her brother pulling on her wrist out the door and down the cold, damp hall, Winry smiling kindly at her, following beside her. She smiled back.

"Thank you, Victoria. You don't know how much you healing me means to me. Thank you." Both of their smiles growing.

As they entered the food hall, Winry went off towards the selection of food as Ed sat her down, saying as he was leaving to follow Winry, "She's right you know. I've never seen Winry this happy in a long time. I'll take you to Alphonse after we eat. He's doing better too." Looking over his shoulder, smiling widely at her, "You're a miracle, Victoria."

"Anytime, Eddie. You're all my family. Can't leave you alone for one second before you get yourselves in trouble." Laughing a little as Ed went out of range of her voice.

The two retuned, Ed with two trays, Winry with her own.

"Bon appetite." Ed said dryly, "It's not nice to eat. Tastes like paste. But it was worse." He fake shivered at the memory.

He slid the tray in front of her, the grey tray had a bowl and a piece of fruit on it. The bowl had more grey, a paste-like Ed had said, he wasn't kidding. The fruit was an apple. A grey tinting the redness.

She picking up the spoon, poking the mush. It was thick and sticky. It tasted like nothing... The hint of salt hiding deep within the paste.

"It's... Grey..." She said simply.

Ed just laughed loudly, "Creative, Victoria." Winry packed his arm, "What?"

Winry rolled her eyes, she joined her as she took another spoon of the grey food.

Winry sharing a fact with her, "The apple has the grey tint because it's grown with artificial lights. It makes them a little dry... But it's better than just paste."

This whole place was grey, dark, damp... Depressing... She wondered how they all had hope left with all of there situation.

That was humans for you. Always defying all odds and expectations.

* * *

"He shot my foot!" Ed laughing at his 'war' story of how when Al, Roy and himself were 'playing' with their guns, "But it was my automail, luckily. Winry said that it should have been my flesh foot. Easier to fix. She beat me with her wrench so hard, I think the scar's still there." He continued to laugh.

"You always get into trouble when I turn my back." She sighed.

"I remember when mum said that to us." Ed laughing weakly, she stopped walking.

"I had to reap our mother's soul." Ed stopped ahead of her, "A few times actually." She almost laughed for some reason, "It never got easier." But she stopped herself.

"Reap?" Ed questioned, "As in killed?"

"Kind of. I take souls out of their vessels once they cannot hold souls any longer..." She began walking once more, "I've reaped everyone's soul more than once... You are determined not to die too when you're older. I always let you live a bit longer... Cause you 'can't leave Al alone'."

"Sorry." Ed continuing walking as she met with him, "I didn't know."

She just took his flesh hand as they wandered down the hall towards Al.

* * *

The bed creaked under her weight as she sat beside the sleeping Alphonse.

The stained skin replaced with a washed set, pale and dull.

But no longer blue.

She extended her hand slowly, affectionately placing it on his forehead, "Alphonse. Hey, Allie." She said sweetly as she began to stroke the bangs of his de-coloured blond hair.

His eyelids quivered before he scrunched them together and slowly opened them.

His golden eyes, dull with years of sleep.

He smiled weakly up at her, trying to speak. He opened his mouth but she shushed him, "Shh. It's alright, Allie. Don't talk. You're still healing." Her smile widening when his did, "You're feeling better?"

He nodded weakly, his eyes drooping. Al was still tired and weak.

Ed said that he only could stay awake for a few minutes before going back to sleep. His body still weak and nutrient deprived.

"You get some more rest, Allie."

His voice rasp and quiet, "I missed you." As he drifted back into his day long rest.

* * *

Even once Al fell asleep, the two other siblings still stayed at his side, Ed reading one of his favourite novels, herself stroking his bangs, humming when Ed wasn't reading.

She hummed a tune their mother would when they were sick. A lullaby which she then sang to the boys once their mother passed away.

 _"O the summer time has come And the trees are sweetly blooming And wild mountain thyme Grows around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go? And we'll all go together, To pull wild mountain thyme, All around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?_

 _I will build my love a tower, By yon clear crystal fountain, And on it I will pile, All the flowers of the mountain. Will you go, lassie, go?_

 _And we'll all go together, To pull wild mountain thyme, All around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?_

 _I will range through the wilds And the deep land so dreary And return with the spoils To the bower o' my dearie. Will ye go lassie go ?_

 _And we'll all go together, To pull wild mountain thyme, All around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?_

 _If my true love she'll not come, Then I'll surely find another, To pull wild mountain thyme, All around the purple heather. Will you go, lassie, go?"_

Her twelve-year-old voice drifting peacefully in the room, stirring memories for Ed, "I still don't understand how you're religious or were." Ed spoke quietly.

"Neither do I. It was something that I would hang on to when mum died." She sighed, "It was hard. Being the oldest... I guess you understand that now too."

"I never blamed you. Or even questioned you being religious. I didn't even mind you mentioning it." He laughed quietly, "We were scientists with a religious leader."

She couldn't keep herself from laughing, "You're an idiot."

"Where did that come from!" Ed wailed back.

"I missed laughing..." She closed her eyes and smiled towards Ed.

"I missed your laugh."

"I missed being human. It's gonna be harder for me to be Truth again." Sighing loudly.

Silence filled the room.

She just began singing again.

* * *

Ed quietly shut the door to Al's room. Leaving him to rest in peace.

She turned to leave, finding a man in the hall looking at her with an emotion she couldn't quiet identify, "Who's that?" Pointing at the black haired man.

"Ling! You're back! It's been months since you left for Xing!" Ed said happily.

"When did she wake up?!" Victoria still not sure the emotions radiating off the man.

"It's been almost a week now," Ed mumbled, almost unsure, thinking.

The man just stood, like he was waiting for her to do something.

"Ling?..." Ed questioning his behavior for her.

One word came from his lips, "Greed."

That look in his eyes. His eyes hollow like his fellow soldiers. Scars littering his body, hair a dull black. His shirt open, showing a fist sized scar where she plunged her hand in to retrieve the stone.

"He was the homunculus I pulled out of you, right?" Her the dull and flat.

"Yes." His tone matching.

Ed sighed heavily, "Stop sulking, Ling. So what if Greed stole your dinner that one time. Suck it up."

"If she'd just killed, Greed!" Ling wailed

"Why would we kill me?" Greed striding down the hall where Ling came from. He stopped when he locked eyes with her, "When... When did!"

"A week ago," Ling said simply.

He walked up to her, "I like you. You're good in my ranks. I owe you one."

He put his fist up, she just shrugged and bumped his fist, "I hated your other siblings more." Taking off walking in the direction she intended, Roy's office.

* * *

"People call you insane! Now I believe them!" Roy spat at her.

"You trusted me once before. Why not now!" She barked back.

Ed standing awkwardly in the corner, watching the two fight, not sure who to side with.

Her sister, who proposed a suicidal plan.

Or his superior, who wasn't suicidal.

"But this is a different scale!"

"I don't see why that's an issue! I can handle it!"

"We've been arguing for hours!" Roy wailed, "Enough!" Roy slammed his hands onto the table

She stopped, not from the out burst. But from the sound of one of his hands. A metal thunk.

She slowly reached out and lifted his sleeve, muttering, "Automail?..."

Roy swiftly took his arm away, "Don't change the subject!"

She'd hit a nerve, "How?"

"Don't-!"

"-Tell me!" Her tone deadly

He sighed, his rage melting like ice in the sun, a sorry mess.

* * *

Two Years Ago

* * *

"I need to get them!" Roy wailed as he wrenched his way out of The Personnel's grip.

He stuck his hand in front of him, moving towards Ed, Al, Winry and his fallen comrades.

Tears waving his vision, a mixture of pain, suffering, built up emotion and grief forming the rivers.

He didn't see the soul come rushing past in front of him, too fast for clear vision to see.

Souls are like water, they can cut through even the hardest metal at the right speed.

He simply stopped in his place, unbearable pain running from where his hand used to be.

He fell onto his knees, not sure what to do.

He was useless as he always was. Just letting the Personnel drag him away.

* * *

Present

* * *

She just sighed, "I know what happened that day you stormed the Capital." Her tone calmer after Roy's troubling telling of how his hand was cut from his body, "But this is different."

"That's what we said. We had a new shiny weapon and went in without thinking." Roy's tone dark through slightly gritted teeth.

"I'm not a 'shiny weapon'!" She spat back, "I am The Vessel, a Gate Keeper, The Keeper of the Souls. Those names aren't just for show." She growled at him.

"We can't go in without a real plan. Without back up. With our voices raging and guns blazing."

"I'm going alone."

"No!" Ed said from his wall, "I'm not losing you again!"

"Eddie... Look." Turning towards her brother, his gaze to the floor, "It's either my life or countless others."

"But this mission is suicidal," Roy said simply, she turned back towards him rapidly.

"It's not suicidal if it has a 99.9% success rate!"

"You are not just going to the Capital alone to absorb all of the souls! You struggled to do those few the other day! You basically collapsed!" Roy's rage returned.

"It's different!"

"How?! Tell me how?!"

"I'm prepared!"

"Don't lie to yourself!"

She had nothing to return. He was right. She was just so desperate to give Ed, Al and Winry back their normal lives she didn't realised how dangerous it was if she failed. Even 0.1% is a lot if you're the only hope of humanity.

It had to be 100% or it wasn't worth attempting.

Her tone was quiet, defeated, when she finally found the words, "But what other choice do we have?"

The whole room went silent.

"I'll go with you." A new voice came from the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Death

The one universal fear among humans.

They fight in the name for so many things.

But in the end, they all fought so they wouldn't die. So someone else would take that fate, and they would keep living.

But... So much can change when you watch everyone you love die in an instant.

Sleepless nights

Tossing and turning. The screams filling your head. The images of a horror movie played in front of you every night behind closed eyelids. Stained forever.

You could never look away. Never forget. Never rest while betrayal, grief and blame bubble up inside and coat a person's reality.

Death changes from a fear to an escape.

Because happy endings don't happen. Why would they be in a world where someone treats their life over everyone else's. With the intention to or not.

Happy Endings...

Don't exist...

* * *

The whole room went silent.

"I'll go with you." A new voice came from the door.

"Pride," Victoria said with disgust.

There was a child, no older than 9 or 10, wearing the same uniform of the Personnel. A red and white ringed dot sitting on his forehead. His eyes almost entirely black, the slightest slice of white sitting around the edges of the eyelid. Not a scratch sitting on his skin, not a scar.

Victoria took a quick step towards him, only to find Ed's arm in the way, "He's offering you help." He whispered.

"How are you alive?" She asked with venom. The only homunculus she even considered letting live was Greed. But never Pride. Not on her life would she let him live.

"Thanks to your wonderful brother, Edward. He never killed me." A smirk stretched on his face.

Victoria knew what Pride wanted, and he wasn't getting her to snap at her brother. She just sighed and lightly punched his still outstretched arm, muttering "Idiot."

"Why are you offering your help, Pride?" She said as she walked around Ed into Prides full view.

"I help you. You owe me a favour." His smirk was growing further, "To have a God in your debt..."

"No." She said simply, "I don't do favours. Not for someone like you." She spat back.

"You need me." Pride barked

"No. I don't."

"Then who will go with you?"

Roy slammed his hands on the table, "No one is going anywhere!" He exhaled heavily, "Let's take a step back. Now tell me, Victoria, your whole plan. Start to finish with detail." He pulled a map out from the draw in the desk. It showed the Human Rebellion Facility (HPRF) in a dark black pen, about 20km east from the Capital. It was a 20-minute drive in the bulletproof, hulked out Jeeps. The cars were about twice her height, covered in thick metals and glass to prevent inhabiting of the car. A large generator welded on top, creating a shield much like the ones that surround HPRF. Some idiots painted them all. They all looked like they've gone and hit a few hundred people and paraded through a forest. Green and red paint splattered along the metal plates.

They were beasts. But they did the job they were designed to do.

She placed her finger on the base, "I'll take out one of your Jeeps. Go alone the south-west path you've all created," her finger following more drawn on lines which passes through buildings that no longer stand and places that have been burnt to ashes. "I'll come within two kilometres of the Capital, just before the swarm starts," Her finger sitting just outside a thick black line that circled what was labelled, 'The Capital' and in small writing, 'The Dead Zone'. "Then, I'll simply sneak to where Hohenheim is, at the centre and do the same thing he did to me. Impale him. With my arm."

"How are you going to sneak past all of those souls?" Ed asked, raising an eyebrow

"By sneaking..." She said uncertainly. She laughs nervously, "It doesn't matter details details." Waving him off.

"You sound like your brother..." Roy muttered, "Your plan has too many holes. I can't let you go. You're our most valuable weapon against those souls. We can't lose you." He paused, "Plus your brothers would kill me if I let you die... It almost happened once before..." Roy trailing off.

"What almost happened once before?" Victoria gritting her teeth in annoyance.

"Someone tried to unplug the life support..." Roy said weakly

* * *

"She's flatlining!"

"Why are you helping her?!"

"Get me the adeline!"

"SHE'S A MONSTER!"

"Quickly!"

"She made this hell we live in!"

"She's stabilised..."

"You've condemned us all..."

* * *

"That's beyond the point. I can do this alone! No one else's life is going to be jeopardised because of a plan I made five minutes ago!" Victoria snapped towards Roy

"You're a nutter." She heard Pride mutter from the door.

"I'll go too." Greed slouched into Pride, leaning onto his head with his elbows.

"Oi! Get off!" The frantic ten year old swatted at Greed, who stayed stubborn.

Roy rubbed his eyes in annoyance, "Another homunculus won't change anything." He groaned

"What about a human," Ling said from the now clogged doorway, his arm reaching above the homunculus.

"And her brother," Ed said as he lightly hit her shoulder.

A smile crept onto her face.

"I can't let you all-" Victoria started to rebel against the idea as Roy intervened.

"I can't let you go alone, Fullmetal. You'll get yourself killed. Make that three humans." He smiled at her, his face softened, "Let's fix this plan and take back out country!" Roy said proudly.

* * *

"This is ridiculous, Roy... They all hate me." Victoria whispered to the man as they walked to the common area, full of armed men and women.

"Let's just see." Brushing her off he stood atop a tall box, yelling, "Can I get your attention please?!"

The loud chattered lessened to a low exchange, "Thank you. I've got your attention to discuss a possible mission." the chatter increased, "A dangerous mission." Louder chatter, "But this mission isn't going after humans or finding hoards of Reapers." The voices were overcoming Roy's bombing voice, "We are storming the Capital!"

An uproar of disgust erupted within the crowd.

"Are you crazy?!"

"Didn't you learn?!"

"You lost as much as everyone else the last time we tried that!"

"What has possessed you?!"

Victoria sighed, pulling of Roy's pant leg to get his attention, "Let me try."

Roy just shrugged and jumped down, "Be my guest."

She stood, everyone went almost completely silent, either fear or disgust, who would know, "My name is Victoria Elric, I'm sure you call me among other things," she could hear mutters of offensive names drift around the room, "But that is beyond my point." She barked to quiet them, "You may be scared of me, hate me, envy me, but that is also beyond my point. In the end, I am your only hope of surviving this war."

All was silent but one man in the crowd, tall, rough face, short stubble sitting on his face, bald cut head, wailed, "Hope! HOPE! What bull crap is that?!" He bashed through the crowd until he stood at the base of the crate, "What could a monster like you do to safe us?!" He spat at her face.

She lent down to his face and whispered, "I am the salvation of all the people of this country. And the first step of a person seeking salvation is knowing their own sins... And my friend. I know yours."

"How...?" The man taking in a ghostly breath, his eyes wide in shock, "You can't have..." She grabbed his shirt, holding him back in whispering distance.

"The way my brother looks at you. He doesn't just look that way to any old person. Aside from milk. " She huffed air with a small smile on her face, laughing at her own joke, "He gives that look to people who have hurt those he loves. You unplugged me, my friend... I know your sins. So know your own and go back to where you stood." She dropped his shirt, letting him stumbled backwards before giving her a sacred look, shoving past people back to where he stood.

She straightened up once more and continued, "I come for your help. A king without people is just a lonely, egotistical bastard who wears a crown and hopes people will follow in his stupidity. I cannot save anyone without anyone to save. We storm the Capital as one. We will return as one. We will win as one. Because we can't afford to lose. Losing means death. And death means we gave up when we were too close to see our victory." She paused, "I can't promise victory, and I cannot tell you no one will die on this mission... But I can tell you one thing. We will not lose."

"Eat this!" A woman yelled over the back of the crowd. A large gun, sitting on her shoulder, a white glow coming from the gaps of the gun. Her finger tugged at the trigger, and a single white bullet flew right into Victoria's skull.

The bullet went in, and she fell.

Everything black, her vision gone, her mind quiet.

It took effort and determination but she opened her eyes, her vision swarming and her head pounding, muttering, "Crazy bitch." Before coughing thickly.

"Victoria?!" She heard wailed from her brother, who was holding her head in his lap, tears on the edges of his eyes. Not sure if they were remainders of grief or formation of joy.

Her coughing seised when a bullet bounced on the floor.

She picked it up between her index finger and thumb, standing using Ed. "Where did you get a Reaper from?" She said simply

"How are you alive?!" The same woman yelled.

"I asked first," Victoria said childishly, but when she only got gasps of air from her, she simply stood on the box again, whipping the blood off her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I'm asking for your help. That is all. It is your life. Spend it hoe you wish. I cannot force anyone." She said simply, "So. Who will help save the world?!" She said triumphantly, a small smile on her face. She used this speech on her brothers when she was nine. They were playing knights and dragons. Ed and Al would be the Knights, and Victoria would be the Queen/dragon. She would always win. She was on both sides. How could she lose?

She could see Ed at her side with the same smile on his face. He was about to laugh.

The room quickly emptied, the men and women were not prepared to die quickly. They wanted a slow painful passing. They wanted to peel off the bandage.

As a few man and women stayed and hovered considering their offer.

Ed burst into laughter.

"It wasn't that funny, Eddie." She said with her smile growing. Ed put his hand out and helped her down.

"Yes, madam," Ed said in a horrible English accent. There was a pause. They both ended up leaning on each other laughing.

"Wish, Al could have heard that." She laughed, "He would have loved that."

"What's so funny?" Roy inquired, not looking impressed at all.

"Well... I used a bit of my speech I used when I played Knights and dragons with my brothers when we were little." Victoria said between laughter.

"Straighten up, you two. We're not done here yet." Roy barked at them.

Footsteps echoed towards them.

Victoria wiped a tear away and looked up. Not expecting that many people she opened her mouth and closed it quickly.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, "You did it." Roy whispered, a smile on his face.

There were only five of them. But five was more than she could ever hope of getting.

A man with a scar that ran down the left side of his face, disappearing into his long brown hair and down his neck.

A man, blond, missing a finger... Or two... He was missing four fingers across his two hands.

A woman, natural red hair, short, just below her chin. A scar running through her eye. A milky gaze shot through her as she looked stone cold wherever she gazed.

A man, the only odd feature was how scarless his face was until he turned his head to reveal a missing ear under brown hair.

A child... A boy... His eyes would tell you other wise. He was no older than thirteen. He was just like Ed... Long brown hair was hanging over his eyes.

But they all held guns and showed their scars proudly. Because they were done with the world, they live in. They wanted their lives back.

"I just want to see the sun..." The kid squeaked, "I hear it's beautiful... But Reapers are always coating the sky... I-I... I want that right back."

Victoria smiled and nodded. He was just like Eddie.

* * *

Four years ago

* * *

The huge doors squeezed open with a mighty howl. Gun planted towards the gap, shaking and fearing. Scars rare among the newly recruited soldiers.

Men, women and children come spilling through the gap. Crying, wailing and frantically following the directions of the commanding men who came in with them.

The swarm of incomes lessened, no more entering, a blond woman standing frantically looking out of the crack.

"Closing! Stand by!" A loud voice announced.

"NO! Wait! Roy's still out there!" The woman wailed

"He has ten seconds! Can you see him!" A loud snap triggered the door to begin to slowly close

"No! But you can't- Wait! There he his! HURRY! ROY!" Her arm extending out to the man. Their fingers interlocked and she pulled the man into the hanger.

Sprawled under the man, her blush increasing when Roy said, "Thank you, Riza." Laughing quietly, "You've saved my life more times than I can count."

"You're welcome, Roy."

* * *

Four years ago

* * *

Ling ran, stumbling over rocks, the dead and useless gear. A child sat in one of his arms as he shot widely at the Reapers following him.

He wailed and screamed, tears escaping his eyes as he covered the child who clung to his chest copying his actions.

"Greed! Greed! Where the hell are you?! Greed! Greed you bastard!"

"Mummy! Take me back to my, Mummy! I want my Mummy!"

His feet pulsed and begged for him to stop running, Reapers nipping at his heels, how could he stop.

His ankle turning sideways as he stepped into a hole, he fell, covering the child.

They fell, waited to die. Huddled in a sharing ball, a child surrounded by a praying man for death to come quickly.

Death was delayed, delayed... Delayed.

Ling peaked his eyes towards where the Reapers were.

"GREED!"

"Can you walk?" His hand extended down towards them; a large gun slung over his shoulder.

"How...? Our... Our guns don't work..." Ling noticed scorch marks along Greeds body, "What did you do?"

"That wasn't what I asked..." Greed avoided the question

"Yeah. I can. Now answer mine." Ling took his hand, the child still in his arm.

"All you need to know is they're gone. The end. Be happy you and the kid are alive, Ling."

* * *

Four years ago

* * *

He shock nervously as he briskly walked through the halls of the HPRF.

He couldn't do it.

But he knew he had to.

Plastering a fake smile as he walked past others, greeting them happily, commenting on how quiet it was today, keeping conversation show and about the weather.

His footsteps echoed heavily in the empty hanger. His eyes landing on a child that stood at the gate, his hand placed on the cold metal, starring like he could see to the other side.

He approached the child, placing his hand on the child's shoulder, "What are you doing, son?"

"Dad hasn't come back yet... Dad always comes back but... He always does! He promised he would." The little boy said with quivers in his speech.

A resistance force squad had been killed, due back three days ago, not a word on the radio after reporting finding a nest of Reapers.

This was why he had to do it.

No more pain.

No more suffering.

They will be in control!

He silently moved from the child over to the control panel.

He pulled the plastic cover off, brushing his finger along a button that read 'open doors'.

The child sobbed.

He slammed the button, "To freedom!"

The door creeped open and reapers rushed in, a white cloud engulfing the area.

* * *

Present

* * *

"Get some M-60's loaded, and an HK-416 each! Don't forget canisters. We're dead without them." Roy demanded to the five volunteers who ran frantically to load the two Jeeps.

"I don't see why we can't come!" Al reclaimed to herself and Eddie.

"Because you're still healing," Ed explained.

"I'm fine!"

"You're really not." I reinforced

"That doesn't explain why I can't come." Winry pouted

"Your voice."

She opened her mouth to complain, but Ed interrupted by hugging both her and Al, "Just stay home. And stay safe." Ed pleaded

"Fine." Winry sighed, "Only if you both stay safe," Her arm extended to myself.

Joining the hug hearing, "Yeah, you better come home." From Al.

"We promise," Ed replied, I simply nodded.

"Fullmetal! Victoria! Let's go!" Roy wailed from the Jeep.

"Stay safe!" Al proclaimed

We simply waved back, sad smiles on all our faces.

Roy debriefed us all of a final time, "If someone dies... Keep going." His statement harsh but truthful, "More will die if you stop."

"Let's go!" The eight loading into two Jeeps.

The large doors crept open slowly, the old joints screening in protest. The sound of souls shaking their hearts and welling up fear. The young boy brought his gun closer to himself but kept his face dull. He was brave or at least trying to look it.

Just like Ed.

The road became arid quickly, the path disappearing and Roy drove faster, throwing the contents and persons off balance.

"Ow!"

Victoria's head spun towards a box of guns, which just exclaimed in pain, "AL! Winry?! What the hell!"

"What do you mean 'Al', 'Winry'?" Ed wrapping his head around the seat in front, his eyes laying upon the box they were crawling out of.

"What are you thinking?!" Victoria protested, "Do you know how dangerous this is?"

"That's why we did it. We can't let you guys die!" Winry insisted.

Roy simply laughed.

Then she sighed, "You die. I'll kill you."

"It's gonna get real bumpy ahead. Take a seat on someone you two." Roy insisted.

Victoria reached for Winry and let her arms act as a seat belt; Ed took Al in the front. After an awkward shuffle over the centre console.

Victoria's eyes hardened when she saw the swarm of souls circling and screening endlessly.

"Brace for impact!" Roy wailed as we entered the edge of the swarm. The Jeep shook and rocked violently as souls surrounded the shield.

Roy blurted commands over the radio, and the came to a sudden halt.

This is as close as we're getting on the road. Roy tinkered with the switches, "I'm expanding the shield," the generator on the roof buzzed unpleasantly, "It may explode. Which will also keep Reapers away." shrugging his shoulders.

The generator rattled and clicked as Roy pushed a large button, "That should do it."

Truth be told, the shield began to shift the souls further outwards unmasking an uprooted ground. The soil and concrete from the city pointed dangerously outwards, forming a rose like creation if looked from above.

It was beautifully heart breaking.

"No time to stand around. Time to go!" Roy ordered as he threw me a gun.

"I don't need this."

"Someone else might," Roy said without looking at her, his eyes looking off to the city.

"I'm sorry. I know what you're thinking... I just can't bring people back from the dead, Roy. It doesn't work like that." My hand rested on his shoulder.

"Move out!"

In reality, we should have made it out of the shield to the walls of previous central command... Without losing someone... Anyone...

Tears leaked from my eyes as those she didn't want to follow fell around me. But she kept going. Because more would fall if she stopped and grieved for each.

Red hot fear surrounded me, flowing between us all. We all just ran.

Victoria saw him. In the middle of it all.

His body fallen to his knees. His arms limp at his side.

He was killing himself.

But she couldn't get close enough to release him.

She stood a metre from him, a barrier of souls swimming in the air, acting as a barrier in itself.

She pressed her hand onto the wall to try to absorb the souls, only to have them replaced instantly.

"Damn it!" Victoria punched the barrier. Screams bouncing off the wall in response, "LET ME IN! LET ME IN OLD MAN!... Please... Just let me in..." She rested her head on the wall in defeat.

Her body seemed to feel hot as gravity acted upon me, she fell forward for a moment before catching myself.

He had let her in...

She felt his hot skin as my hand brushed his lower back, hesitating as she heard a dry, distant, echoed voice say, "... I'm sorry..."

"I know." She closed her eyes, "I forgive you. You stupid old man." Her eyes burned and her throat raw as the two of them wailed in pain as the souls drifted from one vessel to the next.

* * *

3rd Person selective - Ed

Victoria looked angry. Something must have gone wrong...

He looked away for a moment to focus on his brother's order. The moment he looks back. She's gone.

Then a wave of energy knocks everyone off their feet, stirring the dust and debris.

Once the dust cleared, silence filled the air. The souls scream so constant, so loud... Gone.

She'd done it.

Ed heard Roy and the young boy yell in victory.

But the Brothers... We're losing someone they didn't want to lose.

She stood upon a small mound. The purist white coating her body.

A smile crossed her face, and she simply said, "I'll always be looking after you. I'll never leave your sides." Her warm smile seeping into the brother's memories.

Then she was like dust in the wind, gone but always in the corner of your eye.

* * *

A/N: I'm not dead!

Sorry, it took so long to update DX I've been so busy!

Not sure if you people wanted more with this or not. But I feel like I would drag it out too much and ruin it. So here's the end.

Hopefully, I've not left anything hanging in the air. Everything is cool and such

If you want an Epilogue drop a review or PM me!

Hope you all enjoyed XD

Thanks for reading XD


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